A Promise Of Forever
by morvamp
Summary: In the middle of nowhere, standing on timeworn wooden planks, under soaring meteors and falling rain, they surrender their future. Knowing full well that neither really had a choice in the matter. This was how they were always designed to be.


**This is just a little piece of fluff to go with last nights (finally) DE rain kiss. Thanks go out to my dear friend jaybunzy0 for her endless support of my writing since the very beginning and for being such a fantastic human being. And of course, for being the best life coach there is.**

_**Hope you all like it. Especially you, Jenn.**_

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><p>College is right around the corner. With it comes nights of separation and temptation with threats of ripping couples apart. Elena doesn't fear that fate. But it does make her sad.<p>

That's why she asked him to bring her here, to a place and an event bursting with magic and the possibility of beautiful memories. She'll need ones like this when she's alone in her twin bed at Whitmore, begging for sleep so she can escape the endless abyss of missing him so damn much.

As meteors dash above, she takes a deep breath, appreciating their splendor and reveling in sharing this with him by her side.

The first thundercloud cracks in the vast sheet of night sky before a bead of rain drops onto Damon's forehead. Immediately after, one lands on hers. It's fitting, really, that the rain has swooped in to ruin their moment. Everything about them has a line of darkness to accentuate the light. Without it, that light wouldn't appear to shine nearly as bright.

She laughs at the notion, feeling the frenzy of exhilaration bubble inside of her as drops of water begin to tumble from above. They're everywhere, plunging down her skin and saturating her locks. Damon's just as wet, arching his head to the sky to offer her an enticing view of his slick neckline. The arousal is swirling, always is when she's in his presence.

Perhaps sensing the spike, or maybe just seeking an escape from the rain, Damon insists, "Come on, time to abandon ship."

But she's not ready. The rain has them soaked, their moods are unaffected and for a second, she wants to linger in the simplicity of this moment. All too soon, she's headed to college and tiny moments like these will be few and far between.

"No, no, no. Wait." Her head sashays back and forth playfully before she lifts it up towards the sky and suggests, "Just give it a second. It'll clear up."

It won't. That's obvious and he knows it, but doesn't refute her wishes. He's never been capable. The rain continues to pelt down, washing away their past and drowning out their surroundings, leaving only the undisturbed desire that whirls when it's only them.

When her eyes lower back onto Damon's, she sees it – the adoration she's come to appreciate over the months. The adoration she was once so terrified of reciprocating. There's such potent love in the set of his jaw, in the unwavering stare he has on her.

There's nothing quite like being the recipient of _that_ look.

So she offers it back to him, seeing the smile break over his lips. It's all the invitation he needs before he edges forward and closes the space between them.

In the cascading rain, he kisses her. Gently at first before his lips press more fiercely, claiming what he's fought so vehemently for in the past. She presses back, proving she's his – in every way. There's no denying that anymore. Hasn't been since that night she refused to apologize for loving him.

She falls into him, their bodies creating a seamless fusion. They're one. There's no need for him to catch her anymore when he's the one that's constantly elevating her up.

When they separate, she parts her lips in astonishment. The sensation of contentment still catches her by surprise every time they touch. She's grateful. There's rain trickling into her eyes, but it does little to dim the radiance of Damon's features. She's not sure anything could dim him anymore. He's happy, after all. It's a good look on him. For too long, he's sported the entire spectrum of emotions that reside on the opposite side of where he's at right now. And for just as long, she was the reason he was trapped there.

She never wants _this_ look to slip.

But just like the meteors streaking across the sky above, she knows that love is quick. It can burn and fizzle in the blink of an eye. She has two failed relationships to prove just that.

People change, they grow. Pieces of themselves break apart, shattering the foundations that once felt so indestructible. It's inevitable. Especially when given the expanse of time they have. Eternity is too long to ask of someone, but as she holds Damon's gaze, she can't fight the faith she has in him – in _them_. If anyone can face eternity, they can. Of that, she's certain.

She honestly can't imagine it any other way at this point.

So she requests, "Promise me this is forever."

It's a plea and a necessity because she needs this to be something more than just a reckless, passionately altering love. She needs this to be something solid, something inexplicably concrete that can endure the test of time. She won't have it any other way. Not this time. Not with him. It's been a difficult road, but they've endured everything else, time is the only obstacle left to conquer.

But even as she waits, she knows his response before he even says it.

"I promise." Of course he does. He would have offered that promise to her on a silver platter long before she was ready to ask. She's finally ready now, irrevocably caught up to him in this high speed chase of stolen hearts.

The mesmerized look on his face reappears as the concept of what she's just asked him hits its mark. It catches her breath in her throat. His smile might be the most beautiful masterpiece she's ever envisioned, soaring above famous paintings and shimmering sunsets along coastal horizons. There's really no comparison when it's set like this. Because she's the reason it's there and this is more than imagery – its feelings. Images can be recreated, but this… _this can't_.

So when he promises forever, she believes him. That trust was established long ago and it's something she'll hold onto forever. Along with the love she's consumed by.

He leans in again and captures her lips beneath his, sealing their fate. It's an assurance, one she reciprocates. There's fire sparking low in her belly, electricity is crackling through to her fingertips as she lifts them to cradle the sides of his cheek. He's not porcelain, although his face has always resembled the color, but she holds him as such. In the palm of her hand is her remarkable, perfectly imperfect other half that she can't imagine cracking the way she has in the past. She never wants to let go, never wants to lose this moment.

The one where everything makes sense.

So she doesn't and neither does he. They each cling to the other, the one that settles the disarray that comes with the life they lead. They've fought and broke apart, ascended mountains, forgiven mistakes, cherished memories, and solidified what comes next.

In the middle of nowhere, standing on timeworn wooden planks, under soaring meteors and falling rain, they surrender their future. Knowing full well that neither really had a choice in the matter. This is how they were always designed to be.

_(Each other's savior)._

And later, when they climb into his Camaro and make love in the back seat because neither has the restraint to wait the few minutes trip back to the boarding house, Elena knows that this is it – the highest degree of bliss anyone can reach.

Because there's nothing quite like gaining everything you never knew you wanted and having eternity to live with it.

...

She wakes with fresh tears stinging the backs of her eyes and her hand clutching her chest. Her breaths are flying from her lips in fierce succession and tremors rock through her limbs. The beat of her heart is unmistakable. And although she has no recollection of a single other memory, this one is fresh in her mind, pounding her with something she thought she'd lost forever. There's no denying it, no shaking it or pretending. She felt it for Damon then and she feels it concentrating and expanding through her body right now.

_Love._

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><p><strong><em>Please Read and Review. :)<em>**

**_Hey, I'm on Twitter and Tumblr: morvamp_**


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